Indianapolis, IndianaFunding Priorities

The Clowes Fund supports organizations and programs that focus primarily on socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals. In Indianapolis, the Fund gives preference to two social services interests, described below, in Marion County and the seven contiguous counties. For more information about eligibility and the application process, please follow the tabs and read the guidelines in entirety.

Social Services

Immigrants, Refugees and Asylees – The Fund is interested in supporting efforts to address the economic, linguistic, legal and psychological hurdles that foreign-born individuals and their children face during integration into American society and its economy.

Workforce Development – The Fund is interested in ensuring that all individuals have access to both jobs skills training and the support services necessary to enable them to participate fully in the economic life of their communities. In addition, we are interested in supporting efforts that prevent students (ages 15 to 25) from dropping out of school and assist in the re-entry of dropouts or their pursuit of an alternate course to economic self-sufficiency.

GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT:Exodus Refugee Immigration

TIRELESS EFFORTS FOR REFUGEES. Exodus Refugee Immigration (Exodus) has welcomed refugees to Indiana from more than 33 countries since its beginning in 1981. Ethnic minority groups from Burma make up 59% of those currently making their home in Indianapolis through Exodus’ resettlement program, with Congolese being the next largest resettled group at 15%. In the wake of the Syrian refugee crisis and following the Paris terrorist attacks in 2015, Indiana and Exodus grabbed media attention when Governor Mike Pence directed all state agencies to halt the resettlement of Syrians in Indiana. Resettlement organizations such as Exodus were suddenly faced with the possibility of losing federal funding that would help provide services to resettled Syrian refugees. This action diverted the resettlement of one particular Syrian family of three who had been scheduled to arrive in Indiana. Exodus filed a federal lawsuit against Governor Pence, and on October 3, 2016, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court ruling that blocked Indiana’s effort to prevent resettlement of Syrian refugees. Through Exodus’ perseverance, Indiana has welcomed more than 150 Syrian refugees this year.